harpersfallsfandomcom-20200214-history
Jennifer vs. Neely!
It was bound to happen! In this one scene episode of Harpers Falls, the denizens of Louisburg Square are treated to a high-end confrontation between actress Jennifer Burke and her vindictive stepmother, Neely O'Hara (making a guest appearance as the troublemaking Neely is UK actress Celia Bannerman, known for her role of Lady Diana Newbury on Upstairs, Downstairs). The arrogant Neely does not win many fans in Louisburg Square with her snide comments, and Jennifer gets an ally in Dylan Harper who delivers the venomous blows like a pro. Scene: Louisburg Square, the most exclusive residential area in Beacon Hill. Madeleine Jacobson, an attorney who lives nearby, is walking along with her best friend, Sheila McAllister and a newcomer. Her name is Jennifer Burke. Jennifer is an actress based out of New York, but lives in a townhouse in the Back Bay area. The three have just come from a good lunch on Charles Street, and are on their way to Dylan Harper's townhouse. They are going to meet with Libby Atchison. Dylan sees them and waves, as they come to the door. DYLAN: Right on time, ladies. Libby is waiting for you. JENNIFER: Thank you, Mr. Harper. DYLAN: Please, call me Dylan. My family doesn't go much for formalities, except for dinners. JENNIFER (grinning): That is pretty funny. Have you thought about doing acting? DYLAN: I can't. I am too busy running Harper Industries, and also being an attorney. Quite a busy life. Not to mention with the kids. MADELEINE: Speaking of, how is Derek doing? DYLAN: He's getting better. He had a bout with the flu. He's still bedridden, though. He will be a couple of days more before he's one hundred percent again. SHEILA: That is good. Who is taking care of him today? DYLAN: Allen is. Sheila had to go to the office, but she said she will be coming back in a while. Audra and Shawn have been fantastic. Ashley has also been helping her brother too. She helped tuck him in the first night. JENNIFER: That is so sweet. I just hope..... DYLAN: Something wrong, Jennifer? (Jennifer looks down Louisburg Square. She sees a car pulling up along the same side of the Square between Dylan and June's house. She watches as a woman gets out of the car. Jennifer is appalled. It is her stepmother, Neely O'Hara, a troublemaking actress who was known for her appalling acts and her egocentric nature.) LIBBY (coming over to the ladies): Hi, everyone, what's the attraction? JENNIFER: My stepmother cometh! LIBBY: That's Neely O'Hara? JENNIFER: Yep. That's her. LIBBY: She doesn't impress me! Her acting is mediocre at best, trashy at worst! JENNIFER (laughing): Libby, now I KNOW we will get along. LIBBY: You agree? JENNIFER: Yes, we do! My aunt Helen Lawson told me that she was a horrid creature, both on stage and off. DYLAN: You knew Helen Lawson? She was one of my favorite actresses growing up. I loved her in Hit the Sky. JENNIFER: So did I. Helen had a small copy of the mobile she had going around her when she sang "I'll Plant My Own Tree." It's one of my most prized possessions. I can see if her estate can have one made up for you. DYLAN: Thank you, Jen. Or should I call you Jennifer? JENNIFER: You all can call me Jen. I just don't like the name Jenny. Neely calls me that all the time, and I cannot stand that. NEELY: Now, Jenny, you know that is not true. JENNIFER (glaring at her stepmother): You just did! NEELY: I am taking time off from my show in Las Vegas to come out here. What a dump this place is! This place is too old! DYLAN (trying to suppress his rage): I grew up here, Madame! Before you start slamming my hometown, you'd better know who you are dealing with! NEELY: Do I care?! JENNIFER: Neely, this is Dylan Harper! As in the New England Harpers! They are only one of the most powerful families in this part of the country! NEELY: Please! I could care less about a couple of business types! DYLAN: My family's company, I'll have you know, is part owner of your production company! You are, in essence, messing with one of your partners! NEELY: I've eaten worse people than you, you loser! JENNIFER: Neely! That is ENOUGH! (A crowd from all over the square, made up mainly of Harpers and Harper relations.) ANYSSA: Who is that? CARA: Search me. But she is yelling at our Dylan. (Enter Sheila. She is incensed.) SHEILA: Nobody yells at MY twin cousin! (An infuriated Sheila storms over to her house. Cara and Anyssa follow her. She glares at the woman berating her cousin.) WENDY (who is now involved in the argument with the interloping Neely): I don't know who you are, lady, but you do NOT yell at my son! NEELY: Who the hell do you think you are?! WENDY: I am Dylan's stepmother! Obviously you are also a mother, but I wouldn't believe you are a worthy recipient of that name! SHEILA (angrily): And I am his twin cousin! You don't mess with MY twin! NEELY (laughing in scorn): What a loser he is! Having his mother and sister fighting his battles! DYLAN: You wicked woman! How dare you come storming into this town and making trouble?! Besides, Sheila is my COUSIN! She is my twin cousin, because we were born on the same day! Get your facts straight! NEELY: You stupid shill! JENNIFER (angrily): Leave them alone, Neely! Your fight is with me! It's me you hate! NEELY: Anyone even remotely associated with you is on my hate list. JENNIFER: You are just as bad as you ever was! NEELY: Maybe so, but I am better as an actress than you are. JENNIFER: Ha! Since when?! You've only been working the nightclub circuit in Las Vegas. I haven't noticed any new news about any of your performances! NEELY: You're as bad as that old bag, Helen Lawson! JENNIFER: At the very least, Helen was a professional! Dad told you that once, and you never listened to that! NEELY: Listen to me, you little brat, I've been on top for fifty years, and I will remain there as long as I want to, and I've eaten up little pieces of scum like you for breakfast! JENNIFER: What arrogance! You don't believe anything that you don't want to hear. DYLAN (in a fake sugary voice): I wouldn't worry about her, Jen, dear. Your stepmother hides her inadequacies behind a façade! (Sheila, Anyssa, Cara and the rest begin to laugh.) JENNIFER (catching on): Oh yes, she does. So totally without class she is! NEELY (burning with rage): I taught you all you know, you snot nose! JENNIFER: Please! Such lies! You taught me nothing! I learned what I learned from going to acting school and working with my mother, and Helen Lawson! NEELY: Hah! Your mother was a washed up model; and Helen, she was also a washed up old has been! JENNIFER: And you're not?! You've not been in movies in almost 30 years, and you still think you are hot stuff? I've been working in Broadway for the better part of twenty years and I am in my forties now. You are in your 60s now, Neely, and you still rest on your laurels! NEELY: And if I am?! LIBBY (standing up for her friends): You don't impress me, you old witch! You are nowhere NEAR as talented as Jennifer! (The entire crowd roars with laughter. Neely is outclassed and she knows it!) NEELY: Fine! I am leaving this dour place! I am going back to Las Vegas! DYLAN: And don't EVER come back, MISS O'Hara! JENNIFER: And if you even TRY, I will make sure the Harpers know and they will know what to do with you! (A furious Neely storms to her car, and she peels out of the square. She was defeated!) SHEILA: She is a real piece of work, indeed! JENNIFER: She won't be back, not here, at least. NOBODY ever humiliated her like that, except my dad and Helen. SHEILA: Well, she can add the Harpers to the list! DYLAN: Well, will you be staying for dinner tonight, Jen? JENNIFER: Count me in! I will enjoy it! (The crowd goes back to their homes, Dylan, Jennifer, Libby, Sheila, and the others go into the house. The scene fades) Category:Episodes Category:Hall of Fame Episodes Category:One-off episodes